Thai Culture and good places to go - Chiang Rai - General Tips & Advice Reviews

If you want to get places in Thailand, it's important to be culturally appropriate. Having lived in Chiang Rai for 4 years, I found it to be a beautiful and friendly place. The people in the North are so kind and ever ready to be helpful (although language is often a barrier). If you ask someone a question and they just say "yes", it is highly likely they don't understand you :) If you ask if they understand, they will most likely say yes, as they think this is what you want to hear. Their culture is so polite that they will say whatever it is that they think you want them to say. Never show the soles of your feet. It is as rude as giving someone the middle finger. Putting your feet higher than someone's head is also highly offensive. Thai people don't point, instead, they gesture with their heads. If you ever drop a coin, never step on it to stop it from rolling away. The King of Thailand's head is on all the coins, and the Thai people have extreme respect and reverence for him and would be quite offended. Along the same lines, if you are sending a postcard home, don't lick the stamp if it has his head on it. They will mostly always have a little blotter for you to moisten the stamp with. If you travel from Chiang Rai to the Burmese border at Mae Sai, about 20 minutes into your journey you will pass through the region which is said to grow the best pineapples in Thailand. This is where I used to live, and I can attest to the fact that they are amazing!!!! If you want to ride elephants, there is an elephant village about 45 minutes- 1 hour up the Kok river. A boat will take you there, wait as you ride the elephants, and then take you back for about 700 baht (approx Australian $30 - as of Jan 2007). Each boat can seat 5-6 people, so if you are travelling with other people it is quite a cheap ride! I would highly recommend taking a tour of the Golden Triangle. It is so beautiful. Well, happy travelling!